Recognizing exemplary, recently completed projects, the Architect of the Year award for 2018 was given to Barclay for her work on the Paracas Museum in Paracas, Peru, finished in 2016 by Barclay & Crousse Architecture. The squat archaeological museum’s predecessor was destroyed in an earthquake in 2017, and Barclay’s replacement builds upward with rotated spaces, creating a geometry reminiscent of the patterns found in native Paracas textiles. Clad in a red pozzolan cement, the museum seems to fade into the surrounding Paracas Desert while also standing apart from it, blending the form of ancient ruins with new construction.

The interior of the Paracas Museum preserves textures and art from ancient Peru. (Cristobal Palma)

The judges felt the same way, saying, “Aware of the lack of control onsite and limited resources, the architects responded to the lack of context with a design that is both robust and simple, yet powerful, and even its man-made imperfection adds value to the building”.

Cabral, a partner at Gabinete de Arquitectura, has won the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture, a $13,700 prize fund created to honor Moira Gemmill, the late director of design at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). The judges cited Cabral’s innovative use of cheap, ubiquitous local materials to create novel and often-times more efficient forms. Cabral has been something of an up-and-coming name in the architecture world, having been taken under the wing of Peter Zumthor as Rolex’s 2014 cohort of protégés, and later winning a Golden Lion at the 2016 Venice Biennale.

FADA, Paraguay, by Gabinete de Arquitectura. (Federico Cairoli)

According to the Moira Gemmill Prize judges, ‘Beyond her deep understanding of materials and construction, Cabral showed a sensitive appreciation of the life and use of the buildings she designs. Her commitment is extraordinary and her passion is infectious.”

More information about the winners and the shortlist for each prize can be found here.